MPs were told no one at the News of the World had any memory of an email which appeared to implicate the paper's chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck in the phone-hacking scandal.

The email contained transcripts of messages hacked by Glenn Mulcaire from the phones of Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, and his legal adviser, Jo Armstrong.

News International lawyer Tom Crone told MPs the first the newspaper knew of the email, which was sent by a junior reporter to Mulcaire, and marked "Hello, this is a transcript for Neville", was when Taylor began proceedings against the paper. Its discovery led the paper to settle the case last year.

Crone said his immediate task was to get the IT department to check through the "crater" of emails sent by the unnamed junior reporter, to see who had received it internally and externally. But that had yielded nothing.

He then questioned the junior reporter. "He had very little recollection. He doesn't remember this job. He doesn't remember who asked him. He doesn't remember who he sent it to," said Crone.

Committee chairman, Tory MP John Whittingdale, said: "Hello, This is a transcript for Neville, suggests it was going to be given to Neville Thurlbeck."

Crone replied: "I questioned Neville. He's never seen this email or has any knowledge of it."

He added Thurlbeck had been brought into the story at a late stage, and his only involvement was to "doorstep" or confront, one of the people in the story at an address in Blackburn.

Crone said Thurlbeck's initial memory was he had been "briefed" on the story by Greg Miskiw, the then Manchester editor.

But Crone said Thurlbeck subsequently came back and said it couldn't have been Miskiw, because he had just left the paper at the time the email was created.

"His refreshed memory was that the briefing was from the London news desk," said Crone.

So Crone spoke to someone in London, who also had no knowledge. Whittingdale concluded: "So Neville Thurlbeck was sent off to ask about a story based on a transcript which none of them knew about?"

Labour MP Paul Farrelly asked: "Why did the junior journalist state 'this is for Neville?'"

'I don't know," replied Crone. "He said: 'I can't remember. Perhaps I gave it to Neville. But I can't remember.' Then Neville said he didn't give it to him."

Crone said he would not speculate on who may have seen it as "these are serious matters".

The junior reporter was currently unable to be contacted as he was on holiday in Peru. Adam Price questioned further on the email. "The sender does not remember sending it. The intended recipient does not remember receiving it. Are you saying it is a forgery?" he asked. "No," replied Crone. "I wish it was."